Thunderstorm warning to come into force bringing rain, lightning and hail
Remote 90-acre Scottish island for sale for less than a home in London
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Irish Independent
5 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Worst of Storm Floris misses Ireland but over 10,000 in north-west lose power
A repair campaign is under way by ESB Networks crews, with the vast majority of all households, farms and businesses expected to be reconnected by last night or early today. Despite the power cuts and travel disruption across the north-west, Ireland avoided the worst of Storm Floris which battered Scotland as it swept towards Scandinavia. Floris was expected to bring winds gusting to 160kmh over Scotland – with Scottish authorities warning that the storm posed a potential risk to life. Flights, ferries and even road transport via high-span bridges were severely impacted across Scotland. Several flights were cancelled in Northern Ireland because of the powerful gusts. A number of public attractions in coastal areas of Ulster were closed. The storm hit Ireland in the early hours of yesterday morning with Met Éireann Status Yellow wind and rain warnings in place from 2am until 4pm for coastal counties in Connacht and Ulster. Most power outages were caused by fallen trees – with councils and ESB Networks officials concerned that the powerful storm was hitting at precisely the time trees were most vulnerable while heavily laden with leaves. The most extensive of the power cuts hit Tuam in Co Galway, where over 3,000 customers lost power. Winds peaked slightly below 100kmh off the north Galway coast. Ultimately, officials were relieved that the damage caused was far less severe than initially feared. Storm Floris – the sixth Atlantic storm of the season – had a far greater impact on Scotland where it caused chaos for transport systems. All high-span bridges across Scotland were closed amid fears of damaging wind gusts while ferries and flights were also disrupted. Water Safety Ireland has urged people to be careful near the coast over the next 24 hours. People have been warned to exercise maximum caution in the sea after Floris passes as currents could be exceptionally strong in the wake of the storm surge for some time. The RNLI and the Coast Guard have already warned about strong rip tides in some areas. Storm Floris had no impact on the major outdoor events taking place in other parts of Ireland including the All Together Now festival at the Curraghmore Estate in Waterford which attracted 30,000 attendees. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann opened on Sunday and will run for the next week in Wexford. A staggering 750,000 people are expected to attend the fleadh over its week-plus event of competitions, exhibitions and street entertainment. Other major events taking place in Ireland over August bank holiday weekend included the Dublin Book Festival, the Breakwater Festival in Wexford, the Spraoi Street Art Festival in Waterford and the Mary from Dungloe Festival in Donegal. Today will bring a lot of dry weather overall, with spells of sunshine Met Éireann said Ireland will have mixed weather in the wake of Storm Floris. 'Today will bring a lot of dry weather overall, with spells of sunshine. There will be a scattering of showers for a time, mainly farther north with highest temperatures of 15C in the north to 21C farther south,' a forecaster said. Tonight will be dry and clear with lowest temperatures of 10C to 14C. 'Tomorrow will bring some spells of sunshine for a time, the best of these in the east', Met Éireann added. 'Overall there will be a good lot of dry weather for much of the day, though it will turn increasingly cloudy, with some well scattered showers developing in the afternoon and with rain and drizzle moving into western parts later. 'Highest temperatures tomorrow will be 17C to 20C, with the day turning breezy with southerly winds.' Tomorrow night will see winds persist as temperatures will not fall below 12C to 16C. 'Any remaining rain in parts of the east and south-east will soon clear to leave a good lot of dry weather overall on Thursday, with sunshine, but with scattered passing showers too and highest temperatures of 16C to 20C', Met Éireann said.
Edinburgh Reporter
7 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Skyrora win first space launch licence
The Scottish company Skyrora has announced big news today as they are awarded the first vertical space launch licence in the UK. The permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority allows the company which has an office on Princes Street to launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport up to 16 times. The approval process examined key matters such as safety and environmental mitigations, and the ongoing launches will be subject to monitoring by the space regulator. The company must also share its data with the UK Government as part of the licensing arrangement. Rob Bishton, CEO of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: 'Granting a home-grown company, Skyrora its launch licence is a major milestone for our space sector and our nation. 'Our work as the UK's space regulator is enabling the burgeoning launch industry to safely grow, bringing new jobs and investment with it.' Volodymyr Levykin, CEO Skyrora said: 'Becoming the first UK company to receive its vertical launch operator licence is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Skyrora. It is essential that the UK has sovereign launch capabilities. 'Skyrora is proud to be leading efforts that enable launch activity from the UK and we look forward to achieving a reliable commercial launch programme that benefits us all.' Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, said: 'This launch licence isn't just one giant leap for Skyrora – it's a massive boost to the whole of Scotland and the wider UK's space sector. Becoming the first British company to manufacture and send a rocket into space from the UK will be a hugely significant moment. 'It's an exciting time for the Scottish space sector – an important industry which is playing a vital role in our Plan for Change, helping economic growth and employing thousands of people in good quality jobs across the country. Glasgow in particular is a city and region with a huge role to play in the space race, with innovation in this field the focus of its £160 million UK Government funded Investment Zone status. This zone, established with local partners, is expected to generate around £300 million of initial private investment and support up to 10,000 jobs in the region.' Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
35 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Scotland leading UK's space race as Skyrora granted ‘milestone' launch licence
'This launch licence isn't just one giant leap for Skyrora - it's a massive boost to the whole of Scotland and the wider UK's space sector' – Scottish secretary Ian Murray Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Skyrora is poised to become the first British company to manufacture and launch a rocket into space from Scottish soil after being granted an operator's licence, in a milestone moment for the groundbreaking project. In 2021, the firm signed an agreement with SaxaVord, the spaceport based on the Shetland island of Unst, with the goal of achieving up to 16 launches per year by 2030. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The approval of a launch operator licence from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) puts Skyrora on course to launch its SkyLark L suborbital rocket from British soil. The Skyrora team pictured with the company's rocket, which will launch from a spaceport based on the Shetland island of Unst. Volodymyr Levykin, chief executive of Cumbernauld-headquartered Skyrora, said: 'Becoming the first homegrown company in the UK to receive a launch operator licence is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Skyrora. We are pleased to be able to move forward with our launch plans. 'Given that operators like us, alongside the CAA, have been forging a new path, the journey to getting our UK licence has been a long but ultimately rewarding one. 'It is essential that the UK has sovereign launch capabilities. Not only to unlock commercial activity for companies that need to access space and to help achieve the government's objectives for becoming a global player in the space sector, but also from a strategic defence consideration. Skyrora is proud to be leading efforts that enable launch activity from the UK and we look forward to achieving a reliable commercial launch programme that benefits us all.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Standing 11 metres tall and with a payload mass of 50kg, Skylark L is capable of travelling beyond the Kármán line, a generally accepted boundary marking the transition from Earth's atmosphere to outer space. The vehicle is produced using 3D printed components in the UK. Scottish secretary Ian Murray said: 'This launch licence isn't just one giant leap for Skyrora - it's a massive boost to the whole of Scotland and the wider UK's space sector. Becoming the first British company to manufacture and send a rocket into space from the UK will be a hugely significant moment. I'm very proud that Scotland is at the forefront of such pioneering technology and I look forward to the blast off from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland.' Richard Lochhead, Scotland's minister for business, said: 'Securing the UK's first launch operator licence is a landmark moment in Skyrora's plans to become the first company in the UK to build and launch a rocket into space. It is also a significant milestone and a hugely exciting development for the space sector in Scotland, with Skyrora's partnership with Saxavord spaceport in Shetland meaning we move a step closer to the prospect of a Scottish-headquartered company launching a rocket into space from a Scottish spaceport.'
